Thank you! I spent about a day designing it (I went through a lot of iterations) and about a weekend to smooth, paint and assemble it. I was really nervous, because I had no idea if it would actually work in the end.

I just got the new goody bag of things with my prize and I absolutely love it. Especially the design of the notebook and the card. Huge compliment! The card is a nice touch. After seeing it I think a slightly thicker (maybe hard cover) notebook would be a great runner up prize. And obviously a huge thank you for the MacBook!

I tried it and it works, but sadly not too well. Both THF and ethyl acetate dissolve the handle and therefore the tip gets wobbly after a short time. I still think it is a good method to smooth harder to reach areas though.

So far I have only used Q-tips. Unless there are sharp edges they work fairly well. The thought of using disposable lip brushes is great. I will give it a try this weekend and get back to you (I hope that they don't dissolve).

Thank you! Please check out this link: goo.gl/hZJxi3 to make a decision. I honestly personally wouldn't work with chloroform, but it is obviously up to you.

Actually the epoxy adheres crazy well to it. Once it is applied and cured all you can do to remove it, is sanding it. Out of all the methods epoxy is the best for a piece that gets handled a lot.

I wiped it off, so I am sorry I can't really tell you. I think I still have the test piece I photographed in step 11 though. In one and a half weeks I am back in my workshop and I will do some testing. Btw. applying heat made the problem even worse. I somehow thought going over it with a blow torch would help, but the surface got even more uneven.

Interesting idea. So far I really liked using foam brushes (if you get them in a bulk from China they are extremely cheap), so there was no need to look for alternatives.

I was thinking about writing a "how to win an instructables contest", you beat me to it. I agree with the other comments. Especially that you should not write what you think the instructable admins would like to see. There are actually more than 50 people who can feature instructables (I can, too, but I rarely do (we are obviously not allowed to feature or own stuff)). Be creative, build what you are passionate about and take good pictures! Getting inspired by contests is great, but I've stopped building things just for contests. This way if you don't win you still have something you love (or especially if you made it for somebody in mind, you will have a great gift). You say that: "Starting an instructable project there are some points to consider: Use common materials (...

I was thinking about writing a "how to win an instructables contest", you beat me to it. I agree with the other comments. Especially that you should not write what you think the instructable admins would like to see. There are actually more than 50 people who can feature instructables (I can, too, but I rarely do (we are obviously not allowed to feature or own stuff)). Be creative, build what you are passionate about and take good pictures! Getting inspired by contests is great, but I've stopped building things just for contests. This way if you don't win you still have something you love (or especially if you made it for somebody in mind, you will have a great gift). You say that: "Starting an instructable project there are some points to consider: Use common materials (easy to get). Replicable. The easier the better. If it is a commonly found projects you can improvise with easier/better techniques or better results."I guess if those rules would actually apply I wouldn't have won a single contest... In my experience something creative, fun and new always beats a simple, easy to replicate project. Those are great tips if you would like many views (especially over time), but not at all essential to winning a contest.

I'm sorry, I don't know what a M-88 is. If you are talking about real explosives, please take pictures ;-)

Thank you!

That would be cool. I wouldn't want to dissolve it though.

I agree, but I couldn't get my camera to focus on the bathing water, I somehow didn't think about using manual focus and figured the GoPro footage would be enough... I am pretty sure I will make an other batch, but I ran out of neon colours.